Lascarians
When the world fell to pieces, those who would become the Lascarians found refuge in bomb shelters, subway tunnels, and lost cities beneath the surface of the earth. They survived on stocks of canned food, military grade rations, and any foodstuffs that could be scrounged- including the fallen. Lascarian culture is a society of scavengers and survivors, able to find food and Scrap in nearly any environment and at almost any cost. The weak are culled and left behind, while the strong are fed and cared for. Natural selection has become more than a reality for the Lascarians– it is also a way of life. In the brutal world beneath the surface, the Lascarians became sure of foot and strong of body, a necessity in the savage, lightless tunnels. Higher education has atrophied, replaced by a reliance on the simple realities of logistics and raw survival instincts. Now Lascarians send squads of scavengers out to gather supplies and bring them back to the waiting families beneath the surface. For each Lascarian you see above the surface, you can be sure that half a dozen wait beneath who will never see the light of day, waiting for the shipments from the strong scouts that were sent out. Lascarian culture is primitive, throwing away high culture and social structures in exchange for savage minimalism. Weapons, food, armor, and medicine are all that interest a Lascarian. Starting Stats * Health: 10 * Mind: 5 * Infection: 5 Strain Requirements and Traits Lascarians are modern primitives in every sense of the word. They dress in dark colors, favoring ripped leathers and ragged clothes pieced together from scraps with no regard to ‘modern’ fashion, often in numerous piecemeal layers that only form an outfit when combined. It is unusual for a Lascarian to show much skin in any event, even during the summer months, and dark glasses or goggles are a must for their surface trips, as well as hoods, cowls or broadbrimmed hats to help keep off the hated sun. Even two Lascarians from the same clan may look completely different, given that their fashion is almost entirely scavenged, though those that know what to look for will usually find some common marker– a strip of a certain color cloth, a painted twist of leather, a bit of rope tied around the wrist, etc. – that indicates their common ancestry. Small trophies are also popular, worn where they can impress friends and serve as a warning to enemies. There is no place for a politician in the Lascarian culture, and tribes are ruled by thestrongest. Advantages The following skills are available for 3 points each: * Alert * Blind Fighting * Chase * Chop * Force Barricade * Melee Weapon Small * Scrounge * Take Down Cannibalism: by role playing eating the corpse of a dead humanoid (not undead) for 2 minutes, a Lascarian can gain 2 Health. Multiple Lascarians can role play feeding from the same corpse, but only one (the first, if in doubt) gains the Health benefits. Players can carry prop body parts for roleplaying in case an NPC has to leave quickly. Dead humanoids rot into the earth 5 minutes after the Killing Blow, so this skill must be used quickly. Disadvantages Light Sensitivity: Lascarians have to spend 1 additional Mind for every skill they use while in daylight. To avoid this effect, they must have 100% skin coverage, including dark glasses or goggles. Savage Culture: Lascarians are banned from the following professions: * Charlatan * Entertainer * Gambler * Hook-Up * Merchant * Officer * Politician * Ring Leader Category:Strains